Hello and welcome to A Slice Of Soap. Former Brookside actor Michael Starke has revealed what a struggle it was to film his latest dramatic Coronation Street scenes. His character Jerry (or Sinbad/Jerry as I’ve dubbed him) tries to run after a group of yobs who have been terrorising the street – but he pays the price for his efforts. The kebab-shop owner suffers severe breathing trouble and is taken seriously ill in the Rovers.

"I’ve never had to play a heart attack before, this is my first and last I hope," says Liverpool-born Michael.

"We had medical people on stand-by to make sure what we did was authentic. Heart attacks do get people in different ways of course," he continues.

"I had an idea of what it would be like by asking around, but what I discovered is that when you have the actual attack it stops you in your tracks. It was a bit difficult because we had to do it so many times. We shot it over a few days and it had to be consistent."

Corrie fans – do you think the scriptwriters are trying to drop a planet Mars-sized hint to the ex-Brookside actor to consider losing a pound or 70? Let’s face it, he does look a bit like a heart attack waiting to happen and I’ve lost count of the number of fat jokes that have slipped into the script since he’s been there. I don’t remember Michael Starke looking that big in Brookside. He’s soooo overweight now – I swear he leaves footprints on’t cobbles…

I totally agree Sinbad/Jerry is a great character actor BUT his size is not healthy. We have to accept that being heavy/overweight is not a good role model these days. I watch programmes like Half Ton Hospital, Family Fat Doctors and Fat Doctor and see the misery that being overweight causes. The Human Race was never made to be overweight. Overeating is self destructive. The cause of it must be addressed.

lol he is good actor and im glad his finally got a decent storyline coz all the otherones his got are boring and the rest of the mortons are really boring!!! not neccesarlily having a dig at him, coz im not exactly thin myself, but maybe the corrie crew are dropping hints. and these soap writers do slip in alot of fat jokes with jerry and then heather from eastenders. wot u think???

angela, I like Michael Starke and I\’ve said here previously that I would be glad for him to say in Corrie and the rest of his family written out. FACT: I would say the same thing in the same manner if an actor/actress was too thin. FACT: Michael Starke is overweight and he could definitely do with losing weight for his own health. FACT: the Corrie writers are not shying away from the subject. Watch the omnibus edition and you\’ll see what I mean. I was being a bit lighthearted with my comments, but that\’s the nature of this blog. However, seriously, he IS a heart attack waiting to happen. Any doctor will probably tell him that. By the way, I\’m editing your first comment for profanity (no swearing please). In addition, your rants do you no favours because you\’re missing the point.
angela29 May 17:59(http://cid-a0ddb4f20dd9baf8.spaces.live.com/)people like you make me sick, anyone think its a f****** crime to be fat. there are worse things in the world to be you know. or maybe you would be happy if he developed an eating disorder and was a size zero. you should judge him on his excellent acting skills and years of experience. if there were no fat people it would ruin your career, you would have no one to slag offget a lifeangie
angela29 May 22:20
(http://cid-a0ddb4f20dd9baf8.spaces.live.com/)so what is reguarded as a good role model to be seen on tv? drug addicts, wife batterers, peadophiles, murderers, gang war, bent policemen, doctors that assist suicide.ok so being over weight isnt the healthy option,so riddicueling them should help them loose the weight? or how about someone really grabs the bull by the horns and " now heres the weird concept" helps them.would someone like to tell Vasily Alexeyev he\’s overweight and unfit, for those that dont know him he was an olympic weightlifter ( but i guess thats different isnt it?)the human race wasnt designed to have bits of metal sticking out of various appendages or have pictures scratched into the skin or even have biceps bigger than their waiste but the fact remains that people are like this. if you find the sight of an over weight person on tv offensive TURN THE DAM THING OVER.

If Michael Starke does decide to try to lose some weight, it would be a great idea for Corrie to write it in the script for Jerry. It would show the problems people have trying to diet. Perhaps they could start up a slimming club and ask Rita along too.

As a heart attack victim and 2 triple by-pass ops this story line in corrie is a good way in which to point out that we chubby people do bring these things on us and what it can lead to mine as now led to diabetes but now corrie have started this story about Jerry they shouid follow it through BUT what did cause Jerry to have the attack ?? we know he was running but as he got blocked arteries,as he got a weak heart does he need a by-pass or have they given him an angiagrm as he had to have a stent (balloon) put in the story as not gone far enough as should also for someone whos just had an heart attack he does look really well.This story line should run as a normal heart attacks victim,s life style would and should change,don,t just send Jerry home and then forget the story line it is a very important subject and should be followed up with the advice and treatment Jerry would recieve if he was a a normal heart attack person.So come on Corrie keep the story line running it just may help other people to be aware of what could happen.

Why do people always pick on them that are over wait and if they stood back and took a look at them self and leave those others aloan to get on with there own life with out getting picked on becaurse of it, as i have got two disabled boys that always getting picked
on and i am sick and tyred of it so just leave him alone.

(no name), sorry to hear about your sons. I\’m sure you\’re giving them as full a life as possible. Anyone who picks on disabled children should be ashamed of themselves. However, that is a different debate from this one. Suggestions that the Corrie writers tackle the serious issues associated with heart problems, the no 1 killer in this country, are good and I hope they do. I\’ve been concerned about Michael Starke\’s weight ever since he joined Corrie – he looked cuddly in Brookside, but now he looks like a walking heart attack waiting to happen. Sorry, but that\’s just the way I feel.

Compared with the thin characters Jerry and Rita have stable lives.and level heads. This column reflects present day life . Far to muchsmug finger pointing by the self rightous , I live my life better than you brigade. Its only a soap,who gives a toss, by next year the storyline will be forgotten and so will Jerry and Rita probably.

I\’ve been reading the comments and I can\’t believe how many people have no sense of humour! "footprints on\’t cobbles…" is a joke! I laughed because it was funny. You lot need to get a life. Or more importantly, a sense of humour.

Hi, been reading the comments and everyone seems to think that being overweight is the ONLY factor that causes heart attacks. My husband had a heart attack in 1997 at the grand old age of 41. He is 6ft tall and weighed 11stones at the time, almost skeletal. He worked for a multi million pound company, but was so low paid he had to work an 84 hour week (12 hours a day, 7 days a week) to keep our heads above water. He has since had a by-pass, which incidentally didn\’t work, as a mix up meant he got the wrong operation. He can no longer exercise which means he is overweight now. Overwork and stress play just as much a factor in the cause of heart attacks as excessive weight. I think Jerry is a lovely character, and while he could probably do with losing a few pounds, i think that his role as a hard working single single father, with the stress that can also bring should be brought to the front as additional factors contributing to the heart attack

Yur all a bunch of Hypocrits heads like seriously so what if he maybe be bigger then people ,, people care to much of what others look like ,what do yuu think he would feel like if he read this , i dont think he would be too happy i mean yur all slaggin him off about his weight ,, why are looks so important yuu know just because yur big doesnt mean yur unhealthy , like nowadays what is a healthy weight if yur a 8 ur overweight and people dont shut up about it and if yur a 6 yur too skinny ,, what is the right size and just because people might be \’fay\’ doesnt mean there any less healthy then yuu so why dont yuu all stop buttin in on what he looks like and take a look at yurself cause no one can be perfect so get over it !

In the storyline Jerry Morton was absolutely brave at taking on the thugs. He stuck up 4 his community in Corry. In real life my best m8 knows Michael Starke and has told me that he is a lovely man 2 b around and out going. No matta wot if u c people overweight or not, some pople can turn out 2 b lovely and bubbly and usually its the personality that count not the size or shape. At the end of day size or shape doesnt matta its the personality that counts

I AM OVER WEIGHT MYSELF N MY HEART IS HEALTHY N I AM FEARLY FIT HEART ATTACKS DONT JUST HAPPEN MYUNCLE HAD A SMALL ONE N HE IS A POSTMAN WHO IS ACTIVE EVERY DAY IF THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS JERRY IN CORRIE IS HAPPY THE WAY HE I SAY BRAVO

im 37,suffer from clinical depression & yes over weight, & as sarah-lou say i have a strong heart i really hate it when people put us down for our weight dont they relise we also have feelings and we do care what people say it is extra hard for me with taking medication for my condition but i have a beautiful daughter and great family & great friends who take me for how i am i love them and they love me, you dont have to be over weight to have a heart attack-so well done michael starke you are doing a well good job.

myself all i can say is fat ppl are jolly not many skinney ppl are us pleasently plump ppl allways have something to smile about more to hold and plenty to cuddle so no worries jerry of correy ur fine just a few pounds over maybe but ur cool sue from runcorn lol